Megaman SF: Virus Warfare
by Madnesz23
Summary: When a new foe appears and makes a widespread attack, it is up to Geo and his friends to fight this figure at their own game, little do they realize, that is what is required of them in this battle among the EM Waves.
1. The King's Strike

WAZA, after the event of Meteor G, went straight back to work, repairing the likely damages that G had caused and what Joker had caused worldwide, Ace kicking back as he breathed, having been given the desk job of overlooking the growing health of the HQs for the time being as he snacked on a Mega Snack in thought, looking over the numbers before he spotted something. A secondary objective of his was to see if anyone else was gearing up for active conflict and one just popped up close by, but the problem was that it wasn't registering into the system properly somehow, terming the person as 'Transcode I', his brow frowning as it was the Roman numeral of the number one, his first thought being that it was a glitch in the system, but something just... didn't fit into the new puzzle as he whispered, alone in the medical bay with a hand to his jaw, even Acid gone for maintenance. "Who exactly can do that type of coding, WAZA should know exactly who is engaging their Transcode..." But it still lingered as his brow frowned to it before vanishing, a minor thing so he dismissed it for the time being, it could be Acid trying something out, but it would have registered as Acid Ace, not some code and no name. He shrugged as he returned to sorting through the information...

* * *

High in the Spica Mall, on the EM Wave Road, the virus population was cut down rather swiftly as a sole figure sheathed a blade before extending its hand out to the data of the Mettenna foes that it felled, it clustering together into the palm before a silent grin stretched under the helm. "This will serve as a start, a Excellent start..." The hidden smile faded as the cluster hovered in hand before he looked around. "Now, what can I use for a test of this new system?" Soon, he spotted the bus system and smiled once more. "Perfect..." The cluster started to hover higher as the second hand roamed to the top and he commanded. "Rise, my soldiers, and serve your king in the war!" He blasted it into the road and three new Mettennas appeared before their eyes turned to a teal tint, their helmets and feet suddenly coated in frost as the figure nodded. "Good, a start, now terrorize the transit system until someone fixes the problem, cause the trouble and hold your ground unless you are deleted, by then, return to me at once." The Mettennas said nothing and instead warped into the system as the figure stepped back before disappearing, the image fragmenting to somewhere else...

* * *

Jack laid his hands in his pockets as he made his way to the transit system, sighing a little as he mused. "Better see what Sis is up to at the HQ, knowing Ace, he is likely to be chatting happily with her." He walked on over and reached out, but he stopped. "Something's not right..." Thanks to his own experience and senses, he leapt back as the terminal suddenly froze over and the train zoomed past in wild abandon as Jack grimaced before he opened his Hunter quickly. "Geo, the transit system is hay wiring over here, it just froze over!"  
"Try to get rid of the Viruses if you can, I am on my way!" Jack nodded as he glanced back to the device before he started to attack through the Battle Chips that he compiled in exchange of Corvus. He blasted the Viruses that was infesting the machine, but his victory was hard-won as they seemed to regenerate within seconds, but he could tell that... His hand paused before he could insert a fifth Battle Chip, these were Mettennas, but they were vulnerable to electricity? Weren't the Mettenna enemies neutral-elemental from his own time in the Wave World, they were easy, but these were different somehow as Megaman arrived and attacked before Jack shook himself free of the stun. "Geo, use Thunder Chips, they are vulnerable to them somehow!"  
"I see them, Jack, these things are not normal, they look frostbitten from the looks of it!" Had the Viruses somehow increased in more dangerous methods as the battle was over and done as Megaman blasted the trio of strange Viruses with a powerful thunder blade and beamed out, appeared beside Jack as the system was restored and the train closed there, the passengers getting out as Geo started. "That was just strange, they were definitely strange, they were still the same low-grade virus, but they had a make-up of frost and cold, like something else affected them."  
"Sounds to be a big hit." Geo's Hunter shook and both nodded as Geo called for Omega to appear and the Am-ian folded his arms in puzzlement. "They were also divided, not keeping close as to waste our attacks before we had used a single chip, something here is screaming 'tactician' to me, but it doesn't answer my question as to who did it..."  
"Someone with some skill or mastery over the Viruses, that seems likely, doesn't it?" Jack commented and both nodded as the young man continued. "But why the transit station, there are hundreds of other targets that they could have gone after."

"Something tells me that this could only be the beginning, of what, I have no clue..." Omega returned and Geo nodded as Jack boarded the shuttle, his own thoughts pondering through on what exactly is going on...

* * *

In a swift attack on a idle radar site, the figure smiled as he set it up and began the campaign of trouble, all of this to get some amusement out of the people, but also to see if anyone can stand up to the threats, garbed in the armor and ice again, the broadcast was made. "To the people of the world, you have faced hardships and danger throughout your lives, but this day, you will know despair on a far greater level." A hand raised before the sound echoed.

'SNAP!'

On que, systems and devices went out of control, terrorizing all across the world itself and it coming from everywhere, ice and frost devouring those systems quickly and within silence before the attacked waned to the falling hand. "Now, you all know the threat on your lives, but it doesn't end there, no, I also make a bold challenge..." The gloved motioned forward before the voice continued. "These attacks will continue, will endanger the lives of hundreds, thousands, or even millions if this challenge is not accepted, I have arranged for a short bout with my soldiers for any who can best them, those that do will be sparing the world from further pain, those who fail will be stripped of their power to protect, by the cold hand of the frozen emperor, make no mistake." The last sentence went out to all as it finished. "This war will be waged on my terms and if you don't accept, then the world faces the coldest of ages..." The broadcast closed as the figure kept his eyes forward before looking back. "Have the message been prepared for WAZA?"  
"Oh, yeah, it is ready to go, just say the word and we will give it to them in fire and stone!"  
"...No..." The figure looked again as the lights dimmed and flickered. "Don't draw too much attention that it will pull one of their 'operatives' to action, make them the offer and lead them to Time Square, I will test them through our current muscle, they will not get too far if they just try to deal with it on a human level..." Slowly, the light died, the only light emitted being from the figure as the ice glowed and shined in the shadow, the small light and glow shining across the room to knocked out members and officers, but never to who the figure spoke to. "It will take a being of EM Waves to properly delete our muscle and I intend to extend the hand to them, to see where their strength resides, to be alone is to fall, through bonds and trust will people prevail in the end..."


	2. Confront the Pawn

Both Geo and Kevin were lucky to have pulled Hope away from the kitchen applications when they went haywire, the whole system and machines sparked and zapped as fragments of ice dripped their watery remains to the floor and countertop, Kevin breathing as he spoke. "Whoa, that was too close, I didn't think EM Waves could cause that type of reaction."  
"I'm glad to not be hurt at all, but..." Hope sighed as the trio stood up, Omega appearing as a pot was toppled in the chaos and the oven was out as well. "Now, we are going to have to deal with take out for the time being before we can get another oven and stove ready."  
"Yeah, that's a real shame, I do like home-made food." Kevin cleared his throat as he motioned. "I'll call it up, Hope, Geo and I will talk about that attack." She nodded as she started to clean up a bit of the mess as Geo's father turned to him. "I don't want to say it, but that could have been very bad, this guy just threatened the whole world and that could have ended lives."  
"But he's playing this game with us..." Omega folded his arms as he snarled. "He didn't even try, he made the challenge to best him and his minions, all we need is the location to hit, where he is going to be so we can wreck him!"  
"Let's take it easy for a bit, Omega." Geo replied and the AM-ian calmed down some as the young man continued. "He wants this so it should stand to reason that he will lay off the people if we play his game, as long as someone is fighting him, we should be able to get some pressure laid off of the people to get a layout of what he is up to." Both nodded as Geo breathed. "Well, I guess 'Megaman' has to deal with another problem, you would think saving the world a few times would give someone a break for a bit."

Omega rubbed Geo's head as he chuckled. "Not a chance, Geo!" Kevin smiled as he spoke.  
"Just be careful, you two, I don't know who this could be, but I just hope that he will keep his word." Both nodded as Omega entered the Hunter and Geo was off, Kevin giving a nod before he joined in cleaning up the mess...

* * *

The first place to be was the WAZA HQ and Geo was right on the Zenny as members of the organization rushed about in worry and concern as he dashed through to find Sonia and Bud with Ace as he joined. "Guys, do you know where that guy is going to hit from?"  
"Not a clue, Geo." Bud folded his arms as he huffed. "I just wanted some good steak, but that guy just blow it up and some good meat was ruined."  
"Same old Bud, thinking with his stomach." Sonia shook her head before she got serious as well. "Luna and Zack was going to meet us here, but it could take a while, whoever that was, they ruined a number of things too; TVs, displays, satellite dishes, and other apps, my guitar was nearly one of those if I left it alone in that chaos." Geo nodded as he turned back to Ace before the man spoke, clearly taking his time to recover from the Meteor G mayhem.  
"It's not just that, this guy, whoever he was, struck at the world in a big way, those systems and Wizards were no match for that sort of attack, regular Viruses don't have that kind of power or strength." The trio nodded as the first operative in the Project hummed to himself and thought about it. "Worse yet, these viruses are not easily deleted, they are connected to something that enables them to respawn in record time."  
"Wait, then that means...?!" Ace held up a hand to Geo as he explained.

"I checked your battle records and you deleted them just fine, Jack's attacks were having that sort of issue that they didn't go down easy, the Doc thinks that the respawn is a countermeasure made to ensure that no one without the presence of a EM being could delete them." The trio looked at each other, they had that power in the form of Omega, Lyra, and Taurus, Acid being on standby for when Ace needed to jump into action. "If this new threat is trying to kill us, it would have continued the assault, but instead it posed a challenge, a bout between us and a small faction of viruses in Time Square." Lyra appeared as she mused the idea with Taurus and Omega appearing as well.  
"Why such a notable place, it could have been some backwater venue to crush us with, why a place that people could be and be endangered in?"  
"That's the thing..." Ace grimaced as the six looked at him before he continued. "The threat sent to us was clear that it was the place, the Commandos rushed over there to halt it, but nothing appeared to attack so the Commandos quickly had everyone evacuate from the location, no sooner had the last one left was the place sudden seized by Viruses, the very place and sections encased in ice and frost, they were waiting for the moment when everyone was gone, several of the members got severely injured when they tried to repel the force... that's why, with the new information, Command and I have conclude that we have to utilize our Project TC members once more, the members willing to engage this before it is too late." They all nodded as the Wizards returned to the Hunters and they left the HQ, Ace sighing with a Mega Snack in hand. "I only hope they got what it takes to stop this foe before it is too late..." The bus shuttle headed out as Ace munched on the Snack...

* * *

Geo looked across the zooming landscape before spotting Time Square, bringing back some memories of the place itself before the bus stopped and they got off, beholding the glacial tundra that was now the place, Bud shaking as he rested his hands in a hug. "Man, I wish I brought better clothes for this, this is chilling me out!"  
"Show a bit of backbone, Bud, we came to deal with this, not freeze to it." Bud looked at his Hunter to the face of Taurus.  
"Easy for you to say that, you're in a Hunter while I am freezing my rear off here!"  
"Calm down, Bud, we can do this, just like at the Studio." The big guy nodded as Sonia looked forward and asked Geo. "So, Geo, do you see the Viruses in there?" Geo slid the Visualizer down and looked. The numbers were less than was guessed to be on their ride, but that is strange, the Satella Police force said that there were more than these few, it doesn't make sense." Geo thought about it as he slid the Visualizer when he paused, hand still on the visor that Sonia caught it and asked.

"What is it, Geo?"  
"That's it..." Both looked to him as he started. "It's an ambush, we would be drawn in by the fewer numbers, not realizing that there are hidden Viruses waiting to attack."  
"Ambush?" Bud asked as he looked and thought about it before he snapped. "Yeah, these guys must be using those numbers to pull us and we would be so focused on them that we wouldn't notice the guys behind us." The trio nodded as they all activated their Transcodes. "Transcode 'Taurus Fire'!"  
"Transcode 'Harp Note'!"  
"Transcode 'Mega Man'!" Each one shifted into their EM Wave form, the towering Taurus Fire, the musical Harp Note, and the brave Mega Man as they charged in, Mega Man and Harp Note blasting the front viruses, but their hunch was proven correct as Taurus wheeled about to the trap sprung with tens of Mettennas, covered in frost and cold, appeared behind them from the snow and ice itself, but they were not ready for Taurus blasting a torrent of fire at the foes, a puff of flame pluming out of the mouthpiece as the victory was won over them and the trio leapt back to back as Geo spoke. "Keep together, something is not right!" No sooner was that said then a blizzard suddenly consumed the landscape, Taurus's flames keeping them from freezing as a figure slowly stomped through the white storm before a inhumanly roar bellowed out and Mega Man knew their sudden attacker. "Yeti Blizzard!?" From head to toe was the EM Wave form of the greedy Rich Dotcom, but the being's eyes were glazed over to only hold the color of yellow as another roar called out and the blizzard faded away to the trio facing the beast. "I thought he was done for good, what's he doing here!?"

"Uh, Mega Man..." Geo turned to Sonia as both saw something ever more threatening, Taurus Fire's back and arms were blazing hotter and stronger that the very place was melting in the sheer heat. "This isn't good, Taurus is burning a lot more than what we have ever seen before."  
"Considering the last time when Yeti Blizzard came up, he disrupted some Bud time with a girl, I don't blame the guy one bit!" Yet it was taken as a challenge as Yeti roared in a rush and Bud matched the charge, hand to hand grip as the both tried to offset the other, but Yeti was severely understrength than how Geo and his partner faced him as Taurus shoved him back and both engaged into a one-sided fist fight, Taurus being the stronger and better force, using the increased thrust to really hurt Yeti, the pair nearly rushed over before Bud shouted.  
"No, guys...!" Taurus held fast as he caught a hurled fist and blocked a thrown palm with his other arm. "You need to look around for anyone left behind, people might have not escaped the seize, I'll keep Yeti Blizzard occupied, get going!" Sonia and Geo nodded as they divided and started to search as Yeti taunted him.  
"Me no like bull, bull freeze in cold like ignorant cattle." The blizzard in full, but Taurus was not pushed back as he growled.  
"Well, this bull has a fire boiling in his blood and he is not getting down like that!" The jets blazed hotter and Bud found himself panting as he felt his own strength fading. 'Crap, I knew I should have eaten more, my tank is running low, I only have one shot at this!' So he took it as the flames started puff out of the nozzle and he hurled Yeti back before he shouted with raised arms. "Fire Nozzle!" A torrent of flames shot forward and ignited on Yeti, the beast howling in pain until Bud tired and he dropped to a knee and both Mega Man and Harp Note rushed over.

"Bud, stay with us, don't drop your power yet!"  
"I... can't, I didn't... have enough today... man, this sucks..." Fortunately, Mega saw something else as he howled.  
"Geo, Look!" The trio looked and were aghast to what they were seeing, Yeti Blizzard took the full hit and laid in the snow, but his form flickered and glitched, Geo familiar with the meaning that it was residual data, Yeti Blizzard was a Virus as well as he disappeared and the landscape returned as Taurus stood back up and the team looked about for the source before a slow clap sounded across the plaza and they sharply turned to a sitting figure, the same one that appeared on the wide broadcast as it spoke.  
"Impressive, it seems that my faith in the WAZA Operators was not ill-found." They then jumped, slamming into the ground with a eruption of ice before it stood up and Geo took in the appearance a bit better. Clad in armor from head to toe, ice crept out from under the gauntlets, chest plate, and greaves with the jaw as blazing green eyes peered out from the visor. The ice receded away as the figure walked toward them. "I wish to be honest, I didn't quite expect fully-grown adults to have been outdone by a trio of young teenagers, but I would be dismayed to know that no one was willing to step up to the plate." Taurus tried to stomp toward the figure, but fell to his knee as the figure continued. "Please, save your strength, you have bested my cabal of Viruses, you have done the noble thing and that will reward you in the end." Harp and Mega rushed in front and readied their attacks as Sonia demanded.  
"Who are you and what do you want!?"

"Ah, the question of the day..." The figure chuckled as he, from the sound of the hidden voice, continued. "You may call me Arctic Borealis and you have answered the second question on your own, I was testing you all and any who would have come this way to 'save' any more people." Geo could tell that he was playing with them like a cat with a toy, but for how long was the question as a hand rested on the chest, Arctic continuing. "Oh, you may be under the belief that I would WILLING let people perish , but this is a wake-up call..."  
"A wake-up call?" The hand ready to strum out Harp Note's Shock Note loosened up as their foe nodded and continued.  
"Indeed, people are bound to forget, to ignore the signs of danger, even when in front of them, it occurred when a planet of FM attacked over the fear of bonds and some hidden meaning, when a woman sought the powers of God to cripple the world for loss, and when a faction became blind that they could control something that would just kill millions in one strike of the stars." The events did indeed happen as the armored suit of ice pressed on. "I extend a simple invite for some fun, this is the game we play, you do this and I leave well enough alone, you have seen the disasters I could cause, so are you willing to play?" Geo scowled with Sonia before Bud spoke, rather calm for the fact that their enemy was right in front of them as he flopped on the ground in sitting.  
"What's the game...?" A hidden smile graced the knight as he paced slowly.  
"Are you familiar with the concept of strategy, of games that surround such a promising genre?" They looked at each other in confusion before Arctic continued. "My game is a series of wargames, champions against champions on a field of my choosing, hosting selected Virus sequences in User Folders, folders that absorb and compile Viruses as soldiers, troops, even minions for the champion's choosing, it is sorted like any Battle Chip Folder." He stopped and raised a index finger. "Be defeated three times by the enemy Viruses and you lose, defeated by a Champion is a loss as well, but these games are solely for the purpose of testing mind and wit in a battleground, you play with your allies or against them, this is purely for the enjoyment and practice itself." He faced them as his right hand started to glow. "A demonstration, if you will..." The hand swept to the right and to the Knight's side, a Cannon Base appeared, looking regular as any other before frost and ice crept across its frame and its whole body took on a icy blue hue as it adjusted for the party, they primed before the same right hand rested on the cannon. "Stand down, they are not your foes for the time being." The barrel lowered and whirled as it rotated a bit in a sense of looking around, implanted in the ground as Borealis continued. "This is but one example of what can be done, you will have three days before I send you all a valuable piece that would enable you all to use these 'User Folders', you will find them where you find your strength most valuable to, my guess being the WAZA HQ close by, that will be where I will send the parts." The Base disappeared in a digital fragmentation and Borealis turned and started to walk away before Sonia shouted.

"Wait, are you taking us for granted!?" The knight paused before the head turned.  
"Why, Miss Strumm, such a dishonorable thing to say!" Harp didn't press it as the knight continued before somehow phasing out, her grip strong on the guitar that Geo had rested a hand and it loosened as the trio returned back to normal before chatting.  
"I don't know about you guys, but I need some fuel in my belly, that brawl sure worked up an appetite!" Bud shouted as he headed for the bus and Geo and Sonia stayed before they spoke up.  
"He knows who we are..."  
"And he just let us go, just like that..." Geo commented as he continued with the other. "Though it is not much of a secret with me, you are one mystery that he shouldn't have known about." The pop star folded her arms as she mused on it herself.

"He could strike at any time at us, pull us away, attack our families and friends, there is no reason for a 'honorable' opponent to be crashing our lives right now."  
"Yeah, but we have to let it go, for now we have to wait until we can face him once more and see what is actually happening." Sonia nodded as the duo followed Bud to the bus and they all headed back to Echo Ridge, heedless of a fourth person on the bus...

* * *

Luna Platz breathed easy as Geo and his friends in the TC team returned from the mission and Bud recounted the battle as he munched into whole plates of food, refilling Bud greatly as they sat among the members in the school, no one even knowing who the heroes were as they listened with intent about the story given, there bound to be twists and turned in the real story in fake belief of more epic or amazing details, but Luna just politely excused herself for the moment and headed up to the roof. Vogue was not called upon for guidance for the moment as she found the same spot where Geo had encountered Mega once again and found his father in the process, leaning on the railing as she sighed, she was not going to deny it, she was deeply invested in Mega Man and his adventures, she had faced him as a puppet under mind control and it hurt in a way, she wanted to be there with them to face the dangers and the threats, but Vogue was no Battle Wizard, she was no fighter, leave it to Geo and Bud to fight the battles, but she...  
She stopped as she reached up and wiped her face, tears staining her sleeve as she sighed once more and looked on, her heart couldn't be in the right place, her desire to stay safe outweighed her want to fight alongside Geo, Sonia, and Bud as she felt the lip tremble a bit, it beating painfully that she almost let herself cry out to relieve her heart and mind of the lingering regret when a voice called. "Now, now, CP Luna Platz, you have no reason to be upset in the slightest..." She stopped in concern as she didn't hear anyone else on the roof and spun around to see who said that, glancing about before a whistle filled her ears and she looked up to the left to see a unfamiliar sight. Leg dangling down was a young man of brown hair with a eighth of blue down the right side, wearing a average gray jacket and blue jeans atop combat boots of urban camo, a bit of blue on the left arm showing her that his device was to the Pegasus satellite as unflinching green eyes stared at her. "Come on, it is not so bad to see what you can have and hold, you have your friends and crush to lean on in times of stress."  
"Wha...?" Luna shook her head as she spoke up. "Who in the world are you!?" The young man looked to the side while rubbing something on his right hand, something small before the words came out.  
"My name is not up for sale, sadly..." Turning back to Luna, he spoke. "But, never mind that, I take it that you heard of Arctic Borealis?"  
"What can you tell us!?" A small scowl crossed his face that made Luna believe that he hated the figure deeply, but she was unaware of the hidden please that was there.

"That punk stole something VERY valuable to me, a measure to stem the flow of Viruses across a wide grid, and now, he intends to use it to 'play wargames', that is not the purpose of the program, but I can't do anything about it unless I have a compatible Battle Wizard, I'm personally stuck unless I enlist some aid." Luna tried to motion toward her friends as a source as she spoke up, walking over to the tree.  
"Then why not Mega Man or his allies?"  
"WAZA and their policies makes it difficult to even get aid and even then, they would believe that their 'Commandos' would be more than enough to catch this Borealis." The young man shook his head with the lie out in the air as he continued. "No, I need someone to help me out with this wargame, someone untrained and possessing an unbiased mind." Luna looked to the side as the youth continued. "If you know of anyone else that can help out, then I will be grateful for the aid, but for now, I got to go for the time being..." He pulled himself up and headed to the other side of the tree before Luna opened her mouth in brash interest.  
"What about me!?" The youth stopped short, no smile gracing him as he turned about and inquired.  
"What about... you?"

"Well, I..." Luna swallowed the pride that she possessed as she was regretting saying anything about it, but the flashes of her mind of the 'first' EM being drew her out of it as she back up to the similar-aged youth. "I played host to a dangerous EM being and, my friend Bud Bison had gotten his Wizard, which is the same one that possessed him, through powerful methods and I have experienced the same power twice, so I thought to place myself to help out, if you could... refine this power..." A deep hum emitted from the tree as, unbeknownst to her, a ear piece extended out from the left and turned into a blue lens before he spoke.  
"Well, your body is quite exposed to EM Waves that I am half-certain that it could work for you, but I have to isolate the data fragments that you are speaking of and..." A long pause grew before a smile did cross and he spoke as he reached into the jacket pocket and tossed something. "Catch." Luna stumbled as she caught a red component, looking like it could fit into her Hunter easily from the side. "This is the component that enabled Arctic to summon forth his little legion, I made several for safety precautions with copied data in my own to ensure that I can counter him, you don't have to take on this burden, but if you do, insert that piece into the side and wait for it to fully upload all of the needed data, this will make you a opponent equal to his skills and any previous Wizards will not be harmed in the least, your device would be... a bit filled up, is all..." She looked up as Vogue appeared and spoke.  
"Don't do it, you can't be trusting some random guy in a tree on his word, he hasn't even told us his name and he says that he can bring back Ophiuca!?" Luna doubted the story itself on her own interest, was he right or wrong, was he trying to bait her into a trap, and to what end does this teen seek Borealis. If Ophiuca was reconstituted and rested in her Hunter, then things would get more heretic than before, there was no way to know for sure that she wouldn't turn on them, but the same was said about Taurus, he was remade with the emotions of Bud and a Noise Card that Jack used to bring him to light once more, could she have the same influence on Ophiuca as Vogue caught wind of it, but she didn't protest to the thought too quickly once more as she spoke. "...If we do this, we would be in deep with our friends, Ophiuca didn't leave a pleasant imprint on them or you."  
"I know, but looking back on those Battle Chips that the guys often shared with each other when they get the chance, he is often with several unique Chips, some being the Queen herself, with stronger stats and power." She was not mistaken as she pondered the Chips when Bud, Geo, and Zack often shared with and it was clear that Geo had several copies of Queen Ophiuca, even stronger versions of her that Luna was curious if he had found some form of residual data and bested that several times for the chips. "For what it actually is worth, I will consider your interest for a moment, as long as this is true as any goal."  
"Fair enough, I am only after Borealis, if he wants to play the game, then it is best to give him a show to distract him for as long as one can..." The youth said before he turned and disappeared, Luna looking at the part before inserting it, the screen switching on as Vogue returned, a gauge appearing with a title.

'USER FOLDER UPLOAD IN-PROGRESS, STANDBY FOR FULL DATA STREAM.'


	3. The Queen's Rise

Two days after the events of Borealis's Time Square, Geo found himself restless to the tick of a clock, sitting up to hear no one else in the house, meaning that his dad and mom were out right now, before he activated his Hunter. "Wizard On." Mega appeared and stretched as he groaned.  
"This is just annoying, he rigged all that up and still has the audacity to keep us on suspense while he gets his 'parts' into small gift boxes and shipping them to Ace and his buddies."  
"Let's... not lose our cool, okay?" Mega grumbled as Geo sat cross legged as he mused the same. "Now then, I think we have to see if we can find out the coding for that guy, it's clear that it has something to do with the Viruses, but we don't know the full thing, is it a chip or data itself." Omega hummed as he folded his arms in thought.  
"I don't know, Geo, this could be a bit much for us and it could kill us in the long run."  
"Beat us or not, we have to figure out how it works, maybe it will give us an edge if we know how it is done." After all, the two combined were Mega Man, they have faced down such odds and came out the better and that is what they were going to do, unaware of one of their friends possessing the very measure that could help them...

* * *

Luna breathed in and out as she stared at her Hunter in bored nature, the upload was going rather sluggish, but she was not pressed for time, she knew what was going to happen if she did this, but she wanted to help out, she couldn't in the past and even incurred the error in action as she stretched, flopping on the bed and glancing to the side, a sewed pillow of her hero Mega Man in a portable size, reaching over and holding it close as she looked at the ceiling. "Oh, Geo, should I even be helping out, what if I can't do it... I just want to help now." She closed her eyes to the slow beep of the Hunter before its voice spoke up.  
'UPLOAD COMPLETE, ACTIVATE USER INTERFACE FOR FULL RECOGNIZATION.' Luna sighed as she opened her eyes again and pulled herself up, grabbing the Hunter before she mused.  
"Well, here goes nothing." She reached over to the folder and tapped on it, it suddenly activating as it flashed white, her eyes widen as she blocked some with her other arm in surprise.  
'SYSTEM USER ADDED: LUNA PLATZ; USER WIZARD COMPATIBLE: OPHIUCA; EM WAVE FORM ENGAGED: QUEEN OPHIUCA; USER FOLDER TITLE: SERPENT KINGDOM.' The flash slowly died out before Luna felt it, rolling off the bed in reaction as she suddenly changed, legs merging into a serpent tail, hair turning into the usual appearance with her attire, but the change continued as violet changed to lime, green down the sides became red, and her skin changed to a more natural color of silver, her veil finishing as it switched from pink to violet as her eyes remained their usual color of light green as the Hunter finished, it having changed to the headgear that she wore. 'FULL EM WAVE CHANGE COMPLETE; SYSTEM AT FULL CAPABILITY; STANDING BY FOR USER AUTHORIZATION.'  
"Wait, is there more?" Luna mentally brought up her files and was surprised that it worked, scrolling through the data before she found the User Folder, opening it to a blank space except for one thing as she read. "With the usage of this system, you can engage in Wave Battles with ease, but the User folder is not available until you delete some viruses and activate a unique program attuned to the current User, it will be your 'Code' to use and obtain additional strains of Virus to use as you see fit." Luna mused as she ran a finger across her jaw. "So, I need to delete some viruses and use a Code to then use them for myself...?" She rested her hands on her hips or the part where hip and tail merged as she pondered it. "Sounds like a video game, beat viruses and get gear, loot, or currency from it." She hummed as it did seem like what Geo and his partner Mega often do, even Sonia and Bud could do it as she looked around. "I can't do anything here, I am... too big." She breathed and motioned. "Let see if I can revert back." She threw both arms out and became Luna again, looking around before she headed outside, peering about before she hid to the other side of her house and did with focus. "Transcode: Queen Ophiuca!" She turned once more as she looked about before spotting a good cluster of Virus, two Mettennas and what looks to be a stationed tri-barreled turret as it moved about in search while the Mettennas chattered like mice, Ophiuca bracing herself as she looked into the Battle Chip Folder and found that her small collection was primed and she readied as she slithered out, the turret turning to fire, but she evaded to the side and attacked. "Venomize: Sword!" Her right hand transformed and she slashed the first Mettenna and slashed once more for the second, its helm protecting it for the moment for she swept and deleted it, rounds fired barely nicking her and she hissed. "Gaze into the eyes of the Gorgon!" She blasted, beams blazing from her eyes and it stopped as she breathed with the turret destroyed by turned stone and she straightened up, surprised that there were clusters of fragged data hovering over the spots before she got another message, this one following suit to the User Folder.

'Once a Wave Battle is completed with the User Folder active, the User can obtain the data clusters as their Viruses, but they need to be locked down with a code phrase within a minute, else the data is destroyed with the Virus, Battle Chips, Zenny, and other things are not included in this, but a User only gets one chance to get the data and use it.' Luna thought about it before she smiled to a good one as she lashed out a hand.  
"I am your Prez and what I ask, will be followed!" The data reacted as it flew toward her, slamming into her palm and the data flowed in, the basic coding for two Mettennas and a Base Mortar, she smiling at the change as she whispered. "I did it..." She started to squeal as she circled about in joy. "I DID IT, I DID IT!" She paused before lowering her arms and clearing her throat. "Why, of course I did it, it is only logical that I can easily do it." But her heart was beating so fast as she mused the next course of action. "Now what to do, I have to get more Viruses to serve, but I also need to know where this figure is..." Her hands gripped as she thought about it before a message was sent to her, it opening with a request.  
'So, you have the small start, but it will do you not much good if you can't command them, let's play my Wargame, meet me at the Junk Yard on Dream Island and I will test your skills, Arctic Borealis.' Luna frowned, why was he sending her a message to meet him there, was he aware or... She paused, Borealis wasn't just someone, he was the youth in the tree, he WANTED her to engage him before the others could, it was a long shot to even best him, but she knew that if he was willing to battle, then she would agree as she slithered over to the bus terminal and entered, zooming on the bus to the Island and to confront her foe...

* * *

Bud and Geo felt something up, Luna wasn't around and Zack confirmed the feeling as he spoke. "I tried to call Luna on her Hunter, but there was no connection, it was like her Hunter was dead..."  
"...Or blocked." Geo mused as he crossed his arms. "Luna has never been late, she would always be the first to the place and we were just going to discuss some mall plans."  
"I could really go for some Mega Snacks right about now." Bud grumbled as he scratched his gut in concern, the idea that Luna was missing again worried him.  
"Let's try to figure this out before..." The three stopped as their Hunters started to beep and all of them opened it to... the Junk Yard on Dream Island? They were confused before a voice spoke up as the grounds get more virtual.  
"Welcome to the first Wargame of my choosing, the Junk Yard in Dream Isle, a demonstration if you will." The three knew the voice, Borealis, as he continued. "In this battle ground, who will be the victor, the frost or the jungle? Let's find out, shall we?" They watched as they tried to use the bus system to find that it was shut down for the moment and required time to boot back up...

* * *

Luna breathed as she crept up to the grounds where Borealis was waiting and found herself trapped as the way out closed and she continued on to the frosted suit of armor as it tilted its head. "There you are, Queen Ophiuca, I was worried that you wouldn't have made it in time."  
Her snakes hissed as she spoke. "Cut it out, why did you choose this place as your grounds and why me if you didn't know beforehand... or did you?" Arctic just smiled as he replied.  
"Because you were the first outside my ring of members to get attuned to the User Program." The blade was tossed up and caught with two fingers on the blade. "It took a solid week for one of my own to get attuned proper, but you managed to harness the power in moments, certainly you didn't feel the surge of power, the rush of adrenaline, or the sweet hum of your soul connecting to your new Battle Wizard?" Ophiuca was quiet as the blade slid into the sheath and he continued. "And, please, Queen Ophiuca, you and I both know that such a figure had its history with Mega Man and it was often connected to you in both Wave and in real life, now as to why I chose you..." The frown came as he became serious. "...You are a leader, you lead your group about and you have a mission on your mind at times, you make it a duty to ensure everything goes your way and you fear when things turn out for the worse, your shell hides the heart that beats for their safety and how your wish to aid can come in any way." He extended a hand to the side as he continued. "You have idolized Mega Man and wished to be by his side, but fear consumed you as you have done things that you were afraid of, hurting your folks and hurting your hero, but you came through in the end, you kept a secret and you helped stabilize a friend. When the world thought you gone, they never gave up, they searched for you and brought you back." Borealis just smiled as the snakes ceased and Ophiuca looked surprised by the words as she raised a hand to her chest. "I wouldn't fight this battle, instead it will be a mere tutorial for your skills, you have bonded with the new Ophiuca and now, it is time for your skills to come to play..." He snapped and the whole ground changed, Ophiuca glancing about in surprise before the whole landscape had shifted into a rocky landscape and Borealis spoke across the field of junk and stone. "I didn't just pull you into the real world for a bit of fun, I pulled you into a modified battleground for us to test both our skills, this will not harm a single person in this conflict so it is expected to unleash your Viruses on this field, free of charge." He gestured to the side and lowered again after gesturing to both sides of them. "With your novice level, I feel it is best to give some protection around us from other viruses as we engage, now let's begin." He then started to speak as if the battle has yet to start, Luna spotting an orbital lens high above. "Welcome to the first Wargame of my choosing, the Junk Yard of Dream Island, a demonstration if you will. In this battle ground, who will be the victor, the frost or the jungle? Let's find out, shall we?" Both started to raise as Ophiuca stood still to keep from dropping before Borealis reached out his hand. "Rise, my soldiers, and serve your king in the war!" The trio of Mettennas appeared before becoming frosted to his command and Luna got the message as she lashed out her own hand, a snake hissing as she commanded.  
"I am your Prez and what I ask, will be followed!" The two Mettennas and Mortar Base appeared before they changed, the helmets became more snake-like, the eyes glowed violet as the Mettennas took on Ophiuca's color scheme, but the Base was different as a serpent coiled around the base, its barrels shifted to four and its casing became that of a serpent, swaying like a cobra as Borealis lightly clapped.  
"Wonderful, you have the basic and a more stronger unit from the looks of it, a ranged turret, in lack of mobility, it makes up for ranged damage and durable alloy." Borealis continued as he swept. "Go forth and conquer the snakes of life." The pickaxes raised high as the trio charged, Luna freezing for a moment, even from her raised platform, but she regained her senses as she motioned like she would, feeling the words properly for the battle.

"My loyal miners, stand your ground and crack the earth, disrupt their movement, and my turret, barrage them with your fire, let them taste the venom!" Her commands were completed to her sense as the Mettennas raised high their picks before slamming them into the ground, the terrain changed as she felt her surge flow into the Viruses as the cracks became jagged and difficult to maneuver and that was the time when the turret fired, the front opening like a snake's before spitting out rounds, the helmet protecting the rival foes with ease, but soon one dropped and the remaining two backed up as they took cover, using the rocks now formed to shield themselves as Borealis just smiled.  
"Impressive, using the terrain to your advantage and halting my troops before barraging them, you have quite the hand in strategy, but you are not prepared for what I can do..." He paused as he answered. "Are you willing to endure the chill of winter?" Luna was confident as she felt excited, it was quite the feeling as she spoke.  
"Come now, I can handle your soldiers with ease, what else do you have to use!" Borealis smiled as he raised a hand, a spot below him glowing strongly and Luna readied herself as when he spoke.  
"From the mountains high, breathe your frosted breath on the land before your wandering soul!" As if a change, Luna felt... fear boil inside her soul and her Viruses backed as well as the turret kept its ground, it sweeping the grounds before a figure formed and the fog cleared some as Yeti Blizzard emerged, feet stomping as it howled to Borealis lowering his hand. "Mere Viruses are simple to hold and manage, but if one managed to obtain the data mass of a powerful foe, well, let's just say this..." The green underneath glowed with intensity. "Such a power can easily destroy mere minds if they are unprepared." Yeti raised a foot and slammed, the ground freezing over as Ophiuca grimaced, her battleground just cut in half and she had a very dangerous ape of ice on her hands, water had nothing on her wood, but she was at a disadvantage as she only has the three before her and Borealis likely had many at his command, but she was not turned as she swept a hand, raising higher by her coils to give a better authority figure.  
"Stand strong and protect the Cannon Base, Mettennas, we must fend off this beast!" The little helms quickly got to work and Luna knew the damage quite well, Yeti Blizzard, after asking Geo a few times about it in both her interest of Megaman, but also to know what went down, didn't move too quickly, but each stomp resulted in falling orbs of snow and it could also cause a shockwave at its target, but the biggest threat was when it howled, beating its chest as a avalanche surged on through, shields would not do it as those had to be fired at many times to disrupt the challenge of losing. She watched as the Cannon Base fired its rounds, firing three per round and it was affecting the major virus while Borealis's other viruses stayed back, it was not a sign of withholding, it was a test for her to overcome and a tough one at that, she was not affected, but her viruses were as she often noticed them barely making a step back before returning, they may be affected by the cold just like a snake would, turning them sluggish, sleepy and, exposed for too long, would perish, a time frame as it were and she would have to push it as she grimaced before Borealis spoke.

"I see..." A hidden smile grinned out as Borealis shortly shuffled. "Well, I suppose that I can give you a honorable defeat." He swept a hand and Yeti Blizzard started to glow. "Flash Freeze!" Then Blizzard did something unexpected, he roared, arms raised and suddenly the battlefield was enveloped in ice and snow, Luna bracing as the cold front surged through her, her viruses suddenly deleted and she dropped as ice coated her body, she finding that her strength was sapped from such an intense blast, but the platforms lowered as she heard the clasp of something closing and Borealis stepping over and... offered a hand to her, the touch warm as he helped her up. "It was short and you need proper training, but I appreciate the will to face me like this, you could have refused just as easily."  
"Yes, well..." She wouldn't let this jerk make her fluster as she turned. "It is a duty of a true member of society to disciple the more unruly of people into a level of social ability."  
"I should bring you along, maybe you can snap some logic in my 'girlfriend'." Borealis shook his head as Luna turned back to him. "Now, if you are going to ask about this, it is your secret, you can tell or not, but I will not halt you and your own wants." He turned and start to go as Luna shouted, her EM form slithering quickly as she inquired.  
"Wait, show me how to battle, I want to get better!"  
"I'll find you, don't be searching for someone your vision, I will find you first!" And with that, Borealis disappeared and Luna sighed before she willed the transformation to stop and she looked back to the clear sky before she headed to the playground and sitting on one of the swings, her body relaxing as she slept, bobbing to keep from falling...

* * *

Geo, Bud, and Zack arrived and started to search before they spotted Luna, sleeping, and the two rushed over to wake her before Omega shouted. "Don't!" Both stopped as another voice spoke.  
"Don't touch her." From Luna's Hunter came Ophiuca, but Omega-Xis knew the difference from the get-go. The violet aura and glow replaced with aqua blue, the violet pieces now being a teal green, with red eyes replaced with teal as she continued. "Let the Mistress slumber, lest you invite my rage." Omega appeared as he crossed his arms, Geo standing strong while Bud and Zack hid behind him for a bit.  
"Ophiuca, what are you doing here, I thought you were..."  
"I am... not the same you speak of, Omega-Xis." Ophiuca mused as she ran a hand over her would-be cheek. "Though I may have the memories of her, I have been constructed in a different way, I am not a FM-ian anymore." Omega hummed with a tone before Geo spoke next, resting a hand on the his Wizard and AM-ian partner.  
"I don't know about that, Ophiuca, but right now, can you stir Luna just a bit so we can get her home before someone gives us grief?" Ophiuca hummed before she shook her head.

"I cannot say, but she is currently out cold, it is best that she is provided comfort and a better place to recover." Bud and Zack looked to Geo and the young man sweat dripped to them and Omega groaned as he shook his head to the intent.  
"I... I guess that, if she is really that tired, then I could tell my folks to expect some guests, I just hoped that I don't get seen otherwise." Geo sighed as Bud and Zack nodded like fools and Geo lifted Luna up, training with Omega really helping out some, as he spoke. "Let's go home." Ophiuca and Omega returned and the train of friends headed the same way, heedless of the young man leaning against the tree and pondering with a sucker in his mouth, smile filling out as he spoke.  
"See you soon, just hope that my girlfriend isn't TOO peeved..."


End file.
